OAK HARBOR - A strong line of thunderstorms produced heavy rains, but ultimately minimal damage, Wednesday in Ottawa County and the surrounding area as afternoon downpours and high winds knocked down tree limbs.

Dennis and Narda Elwing of Oak Harbor spent part of their afternoon picking up scattered tree limbs at their home on Ohio 163.

As he sawed on some of the bigger limbs and put them into a wheelbarrow, Dennis Elwing said he and his wife pulled into their driveway after the storms hit and saw multiple small tree branches down in their yard.

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Dennis Elwing of Oak Harbor cleaned up scattered tree branches and limbs from his yard on Ohio 163 Wednesday after strong thunderstorms swept through the area.(Photo: Molly Corfman/The News-Messenger)

"We weren't expecting it," Dennis said.

Narda Elwing said she was trying to get tree branches out of her flower beds. She pointed to a dry stream in the couple's backyard that had briefly overflowed with rain water after the deluge, which took place around 2 p.m.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Sarah Jamison in Cleveland said an estimated 1 to 2 inches of rain fell in Ottawa, Sandusky and surrounding counties Wednesday afternoon, with 1 to 1 1/4 inches of rain falling in a 45-minute period in some areas.

Jamison said the NWS received a report of small hail and 30-to-35 miles per hour wind gusts in Tiffin, with some nuisance flooding.

She said the NWS was forecasting strong storms for the region on Friday.